Alexandria, VA...Do you live there?

[corky805]

My husband is considering a job offer in the Alexandria area and I was wondering if anyone cared to share the inside scoop. Tell me the good, the bad, and the ugly???

 

[jrydberg]

I lived in Alexandria for 6 years. I loved it, but on the bad side, traffic is awful. I still live in northern VA, but not as close in. Old Town Alexandria is a really nice area with some nice restaurants and shops, etc. close to the waterfront. Depending on where the job is, he might be able to take the Metro for transportation. There are a few stops in Alexandria.

I don't know where you are now, but be aware that real estate in this area has been appreciating at a phenomenal rate, so housing won't be cheap.

But I like the area... of course it's not far from the museums and monuments in DC as well

 

[wvrevy]

The good: Plenty to do....Within easy driving (or metro) distance of DC, Baltimore (about an hour), and Richmond (about the same). LOVE the Olde Towne Alexandria area for restaurants and pubs.

The bad: A few areas to be careful of (as there are everywhere). If living near a six-lane highway isn't something you'd be interested in, be prepared to pay through the nose for a place to live (actually, prepare for that regardless)

The ugly: Traffic

 

[ggarriso]

I have lived in Northern Virginia my whole life. I cannot more strongly advise against moving here. Housing costs are through the roof.. pricy doesnt even begin to describe it. The traffic is HORRIBLE. and when I say horrible I mean beyond horrible. The people are stuck up and miserable, the kids are hoodlums; you will hate it here.. STAY AWAY!! I only say this for your own benefit. everyone thats here wants out.

 

[mom2boys]

Alexandria is a great place. Just be sure to check on the cost of living - it is much higher than most parts of the country. And before you commit to a place to live - drive the commute during rush hour - even if you have to stay in a hotel a couple of nights. You will never understand how bad DC traffic is until you have experienced it 1st hand.

 

[mep319]

My sister lives/lived there...she is moving to Germany for 3 yrs on Thurs...my BIL works for the feds

Obviously this is not first hand but her complaints:

Price..housing is very expensive...but that is pretty much the case from DC to Boston in the northeast.
Traffic...can we say grid lock...also pretty much the same in the northeast corridor
congestion in general...she is a country girl at heart

Pros...
Lots of options...dining, shopping, arts etc
metro...great to take the metro

 

[ggarriso]

By the way metro has been increasing their rates steadly.. It would cost me over 10 dollars a day to commute using metro from my north va home to dc.

 

[AirForceRocks]

LOVE the Olde Towne Alexandria area for restaurants and pubs.

DH and I drop the kids with the grandparents once a year, and spend a long weekend in Olde Towne.

Landini Brothers is our personal favorite, but there are tons of great restaurants there.

 

[Christine]

If you can live and work in Alexandria, that would be okay. If you have to commute, you need to really think about it. Also, if you are going to consider this move, you DH better be getting a VERY nice salary offer. Housing is very expensive. If you have to move 30 miles away, don't bother, you will be miserable. But, depending on where you live now, maybe you are used to that and it won't make a difference.

Having said all that, Alexandria (most parts) is very enjoyable place to work. Old Town is REALLY nice. But again, it all depends on your situation.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Originally posted by ggarriso
I have lived in Northern Virginia my whole life. I cannot more strongly advise against moving here. Housing costs are through the roof.. pricy doesnt even begin to describe it. The traffic is HORRIBLE. and when I say horrible I mean beyond horrible. The people are stuck up and miserable, the kids are hoodlums; you will hate it here.. STAY AWAY!! I only say this for your own benefit. everyone thats here wants out.

Sigh. We just moved back here (I was in NYC for a bit) and I have to agree with the above. Traffic is horrific, NOTHING is affordable (what on EARTH are people doing to afford the nice houses here? We are both attorneys and are finding homes too expensive. My guess is 80% of the people here can't afford their houses).

However, I wish everyone I knew wanted out, but I can't say that's the case. Rather, people want IN....that's why the only affordable housing is out in Gainesville and South Riding. That would be hours of commuting. Oh, but make no mistake, houses are spiraling out of control in those areas too.

I am entirely unimpressed with this area. New York was out of control but I could at least see the reason why. Most of the stuff around here is cookie cutter junk.

 

[snoopy]

This area is always voted one of the best places in the country to live. The real downfall is as mentioned -- its expensive to live here, and the traffic is horrendous. Other than that, I'd say its a pretty decent place to live.

 

[Christine]

Originally posted by snoopy
This area is always voted one of the best places in the country to live. The real downfall is as mentioned -- its expensive to live here, and the traffic is horrendous. Other than that, I'd say its a pretty decent place to live.

I'd have to agree. A co-worker of my mom's (he's a government contractor) has to move out of the DC area due to a contract change. He just bought a house in Alexandria about 2 years ago. He is keeping the home and will use it as a "vacation"home because he and his family absolutely LOVE it here. He said there is always something going on and so many options for doing things. Having lived in this area all of my life, it is hard for me to see what people from other areas see. Guess I can't appreciate it. But, unlike ggarriso, I still really like it here and don't feel nearly as negative--even though I'm commuting from Woodbridge.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Well, the schools are apparently great.

However, the winters are too cold, the summers are too hot, the traffic is insane and real estate is a nightmare. And gangs are infiltrating almost every area you can imagine. But your only other choice is to somehow "afford" a 650-900K house in a nicer area. Please! Based on that, I'd have to say if it was feasible to move at this point, I'd be all over it.

 

[snoopy]

Originally posted by theSurlyMermaid
And gangs are infiltrating almost every area you can imagine.

I have 2 kids, and countless nieces and nephews who have come up through D.C. area schools, and have yet to hear about gang activity. I'm sure some gangs do exist, but to say that gangs are infiltrating almost every area you can imagine sounds like a bit of an exaggeration to me.

 

[mep319]

My sister is actually renting her brand new home for 2 yrs while they are in Germany b/c they are afraid they will not be able to afford a new home when they return....I find that to be crazy. I wouldn't want to rent my new home! They really lucked out and purchased a home in Silver Springs a few years back. Turned around 2 yrs later and sold it for twice what they bought it for. That was the only way they could afford the home they have now.

 

[JoeThaNo1Stunna]

I live in Richmond, which I love. I have many friends and relatives in NoVa. It's just awful there. The traffic is the worst I've seen in the US, houses are ridiculous, drugs are bigger problem at the "nicer schools" such as Oakton, it's just an awful area. The only areas in Va I would recommend are Richmond and Charlottesville.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

I didn't believe it either, until talking to my parents and sister about where to live (my sister worked in the real estate industry). Every area I mentioned was shot down. Of course, I was only mentioning areas that were affordable.

And even with all her super sleuthing my sister still managed to buy a home in a nieghborhood where there was a gang shooting the night of her bachelorette party. Of course, it's a rather pretty neighborhood. It's not like you see gangs hanging out on streetcorners.

You may not see it, but its there.

 

[snoopy]

And you don't think that isn't the case in any large city? The more people that are confined to one area, the more chances a few of them are going to be up to no good.

I've lived in this area my whole life and the only time I was involved in a crime was the time I was held up at gunpoint while out in the middle of nowhere in Frederick, MD. Should I say that gangs exist in Frederick, MD because I was the victim of a crime there?

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

Originally posted by snoopy
And you don't think that isn't the case in any large city? The more people that are confined to one area, the more chances a few of them are going to be up to no good.

I've lived in this area my whole life and the only time I was involved in a crime was the time I was held up at gunpoint while out in the middle of nowhere in Frederick, MD. Should I say that gangs exist in Frederick, MD because I was the victim of a crime there?

I'm just telling you what I've been told. I haven't been the victim of a crime here ever. Or in NYC. Doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

Any much of my family has lived here for the last 30 or so years. The fact is, areas that we once considered nice, like Springfield, are not desirable places to live anymore. But they are the only places where you can still afford housing.

Now people are buying in Haymarket, which is a terrible commute and where the houses are now going for over 600K in nice neighborhoods. No thanks.

And since you've lived here your whole life, you don't have to look for housing now. Lucky you. But the fact is, it is insane here and it's only getting worse. The OP asked about moving here now, and the fact is, housing in a nice area is getting increasingly impossible, unless you want to commute for an hour each way in bumper to bumper traffic. Especially in Alexandria.

Fact is, a decent townhouse here now goes for half a million. In Loudon County. And in Old Town, Alexandria, you'd be extremely lucky to get a run down townhome for that price. I just spent three hours talking with a buyers agent around here yesterday and driving all over creation looking at places. If I had a choice, I would not move here now.

 

[aprincessmom]

And since you've lived here your whole life, you don't have to look for housing now. Lucky you. But the fact is, it is insane here and it's only getting worse. The OP asked about moving here now, and the fact is, housing in a nice area is getting increasingly impossible, unless you want to commute for an hour each way in bumper to bumper traffic. Especially in Alexandria.

Fact is, a decent townhouse here now goes for half a million. In Loudon County. And in Old Town, Alexandria, you'd be extremely lucky to get a run down townhome for that price. I just spent three hours talking with a buyers agent around here yesterday and driving all over creation looking at places. If I had a choice, I would not move here now.

Sounds like Boston and it's suburbs...or NYC and it's suburbs...or any metropolitan area in the Northeast. Heck, I grew up on Cape Cod and had to move off to afford housing of any kind. Just because you grow up somewhere doesn't mean you can afford to live there once you get old enough to be on your own.

Any metropolitan area is going to have traffic, crime, high real estate prices, high costs of living, and just about as many people looking to move as are looking to move out.